Pension Insight: PenCom holds workshops for PFAs, PDOs on online enrolment of 2025 retirees

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has lined up a series of workshops designed to equip pension fund administrators (PFAs) and pension desk officers (PDOs) of treasury-funded ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) with the necessary technical expertise to effectively utilise the online enrolment application.

These workshops, scheduled from September 16 to October 11, 2024, are a precursor to the upcoming online enrolment exercise for the year 2025 prospective retirees of Treasury-funded MDAs. The workshops will be conducted across the six geopolitical zones to ensure comprehensive coverage and accessibility for all stakeholders.

The retirement process for employees of treasury-funded ministries, departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government of Nigeria (FGN) begins with participation in the annual pre-retirement verification and enrolment exercise by PenCom. The exercise is conducted in order to determine the accrued pension rights, that is, the employee’s entitlement for past service from the commencement of employment up to June 2004 when the contributory pension scheme (CPS) was introduced.

This is to enable budgetary provision to be made by the FGN, towards payment to the retirees in the subsequent year when they retire. It is in line with the provisions of Section 15 of the PRA 2014, which requires that the accrued entitlement of any employee under the defined benefit scheme who migrated to the CPS to be redeemed into the retirement savings account (RSA).

The automation of the annual enrolment exercise, hitherto conducted at several locations across the six geo-political zones of the country, was a major digital transformation milestone by PenCom. Prior to the online enrolment, prospective retirees were required to travel to the nearest enrolment centre to be verified and enrolled. There is no gainsaying that the exercise was a bit cumbersome for the prospective retirees who had to undergo the hassles of travel, amidst other inconveniences. The online enrolment has enabled prospective retirees to be verified electronically irrespective of location.

The workshops aim to train the representatives of PFAs and PDOs on the workings of the online enrolment application, in order to equip them with the skills necessary to facilitate the smooth verification and enrolment of the prospective retirees. The online enrolment application, which is hosted on PenCom’s website (www.pencom.gov.ng), enables prospective retirees to initiate their enrolment using mobile phones and other devices.

THE ONLINE ENROLMENT APPLICATION

The online enrolment application comprises four key modules: retiree registration, PFA module, MDA module, and PenCom module. Each module plays a vital role in ensuring a seamless and efficient enrolment process.

• RETIREE REGISTRATION MODULE: This allows the prospective retirees to register their Bio-data, employment details, and upload the required supporting documents of the employment records.
• PFA MODULE: Enables PFAs to verify the information provided by retirees. PFAs ensure that the information provided aligns with original or certified true copies of the required documents. They also guide retirees through the online registration process, providing assistance as needed.
• MDA MODULE: This module enables PDOs to upload the list of potential retirees, that is, their bio-data and complete employments details from the respective MDA. It ensures that all data are accurate and up to date.
• PENCOM MODULE: This is for validation of records submitted by the retirees, MDAs and PFAs, which would enable the accurate computation of the accrued pension liability.

TRAINING AND IMPLEMENTATION

The workshops will cover a wide range of topics, focusing on the technical aspects of the online enrolment application. Participants will be trained on how to navigate the application, use its various modules, and conduct enrolment processes effectively.

A crucial part of the training will involve familiarising PFAs with the enrolment process for prospective retirees, which is divided into three stages: registration, verification, and enrolment.

The application’s self-assisted registration feature empowers prospective retirees to initiate their enrolment by visiting the PenCom website, creating an account, and providing essential information such as their RSA PIN, national identification number (NIN), personal details, and employment history. Scanned copies of necessary documents are then uploaded to the system, ensuring that all data is both complete and accurate.

In the verification stage, PFAs will be trained to cross-check the submitted information against original or certified true copies of documents to determine that all records are complete and accurate. A live image of the retiree will also be captured through the application, and two copies of the enrolment slip will be printed. One copy will be retained by the retiree, while the other will be submitted to the PFA.

Importantly, the workshops will also address how to conduct remote verification and enrolment for retirees who are sick or incapacitated. This ensures that the enrolment process is inclusive and accessible to all, regardless of their physical condition.

As the online enrolment exercise approaches, the knowledge gained from these workshops will be invaluable in ensuring a smooth verification and enrolment for the 2025 prospective retirees of treasury-funded MDAs by PenCom.